Mitt hits Gingrich on Ryan 'social engineering' comment

12/12/11 1:55 PM EST

Via POLITICO's Reid Epstein, Mitt Romney slammed Newt Gingrich over his comments about Paul Ryan's budget revamp and "right-wing social engingeering" while he made an appearance before New Hampshire voters:

"Speaker Gingrich said that (the) Ryan plan was right-wing social engineering," Romney said. "I was astonished. I said it was a courageous step that I supported...Speaker Gingrich was exactly wrong on that. he might hit the ground running but not in the same direction I'm going to go."

As Epstein notes, this is the first time Romney is playing the Ryan card himself, and he did in front of actual voters. The hour of the kitchen-sink hit has arrived, and all bets seem to be off in terms of what will get played.